Rear disc brake conversion

[03gxeco]

anyone done it? have a how too written up? my alero has drums in the rear and.. well they are ugly and ineffective.

[RalphP]

It's fairly simple on the Alero - find a donor car, and take everything strut down on each side in the back, plus the parking brake cables from the spindle end to the coupler in the back.

To verify part differences, check the exploded parts diagrams at http://www.gmpartsgiant.com for your year/model .

RwP

[Nas Escobar]

I'm going to be doing it to my Grand Am soon. I already have the parts, all I need is good weather to start doing the project.

Here's what you're going to need.

1. A donor car at the JY. It can be an Alero or a Grand Am. They're the same car.
2. A metric socket set.
3. A torque wrench (some bolts are tightened to 130lbnm
4. Rear spindle from donor car. It's easier than piecing it all out.
5. Rear brake hoses
6. Calipers
7. Rotors
8. Pads
9. Parking/Emergency brake cable

When you go to the Junkyard to get the spindle from a Grand Am/Alero, take the whole thing and make sure the parking brake shoes are in good condition. They cost about as much as the whole spindle set itself.

Take the hubs with you too. DO NOT attempt to take them off. If you do, you will realize that the 4 bolts that hold the hub are a joke. The hub is STUCK onto the spindle. You're better off checking to make sure they're not messed up and taking them with you.

You should also have a backing plate. Take the caliper bracket if you're not buying calipers that come with the bracket.

THESE THINGS YOU BUY NEW
You need to get new rotors and pads for the car. Also some hoses. The hoses on the drums are different from the ones that are used on discs.

You can risk yourself and buy calipers at the junkyard. Just remember that looks can be deceiving.

There are 4 or 5 bolts you have to take off. They are torqued to 133 lbft of torque, so you will need a torque wrench.

2 bolts will be on the strut. That attaches the top of the spindle.

3 bolts hold the spindle to the rear suspension. I forgot where they are but I will take pics of it tomorrow.

The parking brake is a bitch to take off. It's pretty much like taking a throttle cable out in which you take the end of the cable and take it out the hole. Parking brake cables have a tendency to not want to cooperate, so you will need vice grips to hold them in a certain place to get the end of the cable out the hole. The cable that attaches to the hand piece also has pins to prevent the cables that attach to the brakes from coming out. You have to push the pins back out.

After that, the swap is the same as the removal, you're just doing the steps backwards, except if you took the parking brakes off last, you're not doing it first.

[emncfi]

The drum brake hoses do work on discs, the drum hoses are just a little longer, we ran our disc conversion with the drum hoses for almost two years. That being said, I noticed a chip taken out of one of our hoses a month ago, and just got stainless hoses installed yesterday since I could not get the hose to hardline bolts to budge on my own. If I was doing the conversion again, I would probably just go with stainless hoses for a disc setup when you do the swap, and kill two birds at once.

[Nas Escobar]

I was told on the Grand Am forum that the hoses are smaller.... so I'm wondering now....

[RalphP]

Originally Posted by Nas Escobar

I was told on the Grand Am forum that the hoses are smaller.... so I'm wondering now....

RockAuto lists several brands, but only one from each brand, at least for 2000 and 2001 Aleros.

I bet they're the same hose.

RwP

[03glgold]

Originally Posted by RalphP

RockAuto lists several brands, but only one from each brand, at least for 2000 and 2001 Aleros.

I bet they're the same hose.

RwP

I may be wrong but check the part number you got from that to the part number for a 2002-2004...I believe that rear discs were standard through 2001 and possibly 02, and then in their cost cutting they switched it back to the drum brakes

[RalphP]

Originally Posted by 03glgold

I may be wrong but check the part number you got from that to the part number for a 2002-2004...I believe that rear discs were standard through 2001 and possibly 02, and then in their cost cutting they switched it back to the drum brakes

Firing up RockAuto's web site as I type this - but I've seen some Aleros labeled "2000" and "2001" with drum brakes in the yard. Then again, I didn't cross check the VIN plate - and I've seen TurboCoupes labeled "1996" (hint: Last year for the TurboCoupe was 1988).

You're right, they do. I sit corrected.

I'll add that I didn't have to change hoses out when I did the disc conversion to my 2000 Malibu - I just had to make sure the hoses went down and then back up so that they didn't rub on the rim.

RwP

[Papa Rad17]

This is a kinda simple swap. I did it a while back. If your really trying to save money the same hubs can be used but a real pain to swap out. I think the knuckels could also be used, but dont quote me on the one. You may also have a problem with the e-brake line being to short, or at least mine did. Never could it fixed.
By far the best way to to do it is a get a donor car and just take the knuckle off, that will keep you from having to disassemble/reassemble a few things. and a few extra parts left over then.

[Nas Escobar]

The knuckles would be harder to use because of the backing plate and parking brake shoe. For the sake of simplicity, it's just easier to buy the whole knuckle. Most junkyards won't even charge for the backing plate and parking brake shoes. They consider it as part of the knuckle.

As far as the hubs, they're hard to get off. It's just more convenient to have a full swap.